Ontario has become the Child Poverty Centre of Canada

Social planning councils in ten local communities across Ontario will conduct public events over the next two weeks to promote the Poverty Reduction Strategy released yesterday in Ottawa by National Campaign 2000. Local councils and community partners will urge all political candidates to support specific measures for reducing child and family poverty in Ontario.

Commenting on data that shows Ontario’s share of Canada’s children living in poverty has increased significantly since 2000 compared to other provinces, Janet Gasparini, SPNO Chair and Executive Director of the Sudbury SPC, said:

“With 44% of Canada’s poor children, Ontario has become the child poverty centre of Canada, and there has been no measurable progress in the past five years. The proposals in Campaign 2000’s Poverty Reduction Strategy are concrete and achievable. We expect candidates from all political parties running for election in communities across Ontario to respond by committing to real targets and timelines for poverty reduction as one of their top priorities.”

The National Report proposes a number of wide-ranging recommendations for joint action by the federal and provincial governments to reduce child poverty by at least 25% by 2012 and 50% by 2017.

Social planning council leaders from Sudbury, Cornwall, Cambridge, Halton, and Toronto assembled in Toronto today to launch the cross-community campaign on behalf of their own and five other communities across the province. Joey Edwardh, Executive Director of Community Development Halton commented:

“Poverty is a concern of Ontarians in all parts of the province. It is important that they know there are demonstrated ways for the next Ontario Government to seriously reduce child and family poverty in the next five and ten year period.”